Hell Hound
by lolanbq
Summary: Sam and Dean have gotten reports of a Hell hound running loose, turns out they aren't the only ones looking for it.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I've only seen 4 and a half seasons and it's been a really long time since I've watched Supernatural so please tell me if it's OOC. Thank you. Also like always I don't know if I like it**

 **This is on it's own plain of existence**

* * *

"So, let me get this straight." Dean started as he drove his baby down the highway of the east coast, "Crowley hasn't released any Hell hounds in this area and that he doesn't have Hell hounds unaccounted for, but he called to say that there are accounts of Hell hound attacks."

"Yeah, weird I know. Bobby's been looking for other types of things that go bump in the night that are similar to Hell hounds, but it seems that these are one of a kind." Sam checked his phone for the hundredth time hoping for an update, but nothing had changed. Dean kept driving letting his thoughts and suspicions stew in his head. Hell hounds fit the description perfectly, except for the fact that none were on the loose. Sam had told hime that the Norse equivalent Garmr and Fenrir doesn't fit since they won't show up until Ragnarok. Besides that neither of them could come up with anything, Bobby wasn't having much luck, and Crowley didn't look into it other than the fact that more souls were pouring into Hell.

"Dean, pull over. Dean, now!" Dean pulled sharply off the road at Sam's frantic encouragement, "There's a kid on the side of the high way. God, he looks like he's about to fall over. Come one, we need to help him." Dean couldn't help but to roll his eyes, this kid was probably from around here and knew how to get home, he wasn't a lost puppy. It didn't matter he pulled over anyway. Before Dean could say anything Sam was out of the car to catch the boy. Dean missed what his brother said but he didn't miss the boy's annoyed face at being talked to; he also couldn't ignore the deep bags under his eyes or the deathly pale skin even though it looked like it once was olive or how small he looked in that giant aviator jacket.

"Look, I don't want your charity. I'm fine by myself." If Dean were being generous the kid didn't look fine, if he were being honest the kid looked like death warmed over.

"We're not trying to give you charity, we just want to give you a ride into town. That's it." Sam put up placating hands, like approaching a scared animal.

"I'm not going to bite you. No need to treat me like a caged animal," He scoffed and rolled his eyes; apparently he was used to being treated this way. He crossed his arms, which looked like a difficult maneuver with the extra material from his jacket.

"Sorry," Sam put his arms down blushing slightly, "It's just that it's getting dark and we don't want you out here by yourself. There have been some grisly murders and I couldn't live with myself if you got hurt." This was Sam being honest, but he could see the suspicion in the kid's eyes.

"Fine," He drawled, "but you drop me off at the city limits, alright?"

"I'd rather see you right to your door. It's not safe," Sam looked cautiously at Dean; he had no idea what Sam wanted from him so he nodded encouragingly.

"You two from around here?" Suspicion laced his voice thickly, "'Cause those murders haven't made the news yet."

Dean looked at Sam, Sam looked at Dean. This kid was smart.

"Hey, what's your name?" Dean asked, it was his turn to be suspicious. Yeah the town was a little out of the way, but so quickly putting together that they weren't local and may have come here because of the gory demises was good.

"Why does it matter? You two are right it's getting dark I need to get going." He turned to leave, but Sam caught his shoulder. It took less than a heart beat for the kid to toss the hand off and flinch away. What was his problem?

"We don't need your name, but we do want to give you a ride home. Would that be okay?" They were still miles from the town limits and the sun was starting to kiss the horizon.

"Fine, but leave me at the town line." Grumpily he made his way back to the car; Dean gave Sam a look while they headed back to the car.

Needless to say it was a very quiet and very awkward ride to town.

* * *

"What I don't get is what it is." Sam angrily ran his fingers through his hair, "Crowley has all his Hell Hounds. It's _not_ Ragnarok. Dando's Dogs? But they wouldn't attack women since they are hunting a man. Can't be Inugami since there wasn't any black magic performed. What am I missing?"

"That is an excellent question. You reflect on that while I go get some pie to clear my head." Dean made his way out of the room, down the hall, but stopped short at the top of the landing when he heard a familiar voice drift up the stairs.

"Well, aren't you a young one to be traveling alone." The Inn Keeper's sweet voice floated heavily, thick with charm.

"Not as young as I look," Grumpy grumpkins kept his eyes off her and on the wall away from her. The attention seemed to unsettle him. What was this kid's problem?

"You're room is up the stairs and to your left, Nico, I lock the doors at night with all these scary attacks happening. Don't worry you'll be safe here." She tried to smile warmly, but Nico paid her no heed, just signed the receipt and took his key. Dean watched as Nico picked up his bag, he hadn't noticed before. Nico seemed to scope out the room rather than just look around. This was not a normal kid.

It took another moment before Dean realized that Nico would be coming up the stairs in just a few moments. Dean scrambled back into his room scaring Sam causing him to scatter papers.

"That kid!" Dean whisper yells across the room trying to freak out without drawing attention to their room, "That kid we picked up, he's staying here. He's name is Nico." Sam's confusion cleared as he started to get with the program.

"Creepy emo kid from down the highway-staying here? That would mean he isn't local, so what is he doing here?" Sam's question was met with silence, neither could fathom why anyone would visit a town in the middle of nowhere, "He's running from home, that's it. That has to be it."

"Woah, Sammy, we're here on Hell Hound duty, not baby sitting duty. If the kid wants to run, let him run." Dean took a seat on his bed the quest for pie forgotten.

"I'm not saying we baby sit I'm just saying maybe we should keep an eye on him, keep him safe from whatever is out there since he doesn't have anyone else." Sam gently adds to help get his point across, it wasn't fair to let Nico try to protect himself, "He's small so he probably won't get targeted, but he's small so if he is he's dead meat." Dean couldn't argue with that.

"Fine, while we are looking for the _whatever_ we keep an eye on the kid." Sam smirked triumphantly as he went back to his research, "Man I hope we finish this fast."

* * *

The town wasn't very big to begin with so it meant that there weren't very many places a Hellhound could hide, though there was the difficulty that neither of them could see it. There wasn't really a good way to go about this. They were walking by an empty alley way when they saw Nico again. He seemed to be strolling through the trash, sweeping news paper aside with what looked like a pipe, but in the right light it looked like a sword; but nobody uses a sword in this day and age.

"Hey, Nico, what are you doing?" Sam shouted, scaring Dean more than it scared Nico. Nico barely spared them a glance before disturbing more trash.

"Don't remember introducing myself to you." Nico didn't look up from his perusal.

"Well, I'm Sam and this is my brother, Dean. There now we're even."

"Don't think I wanted to know who you are. Good day." Nico passed them intending to leave and never having to deal with them again. Dean had to make a face at Sam, 'cause who says 'Good day' in this day and age, especially from a kid.

"Wait, it's just that this town isn't really safe at the moment and we're concerned about you because we think you're running away from home." Dean had hoped his brother was capable of saying that a little better, but that wasn't going to happen. Nico stopped at the mouth of the alley turning around so slowly the Winchesters were almost convinced he was a zombie.

"Why do you care? I'm just some kid you dropped off." Nico sneered, and it was the most adult sneer to ever sneer. Damn, how old was this kid?

"Let's just say it's our job to protect people and we would like to keep you safe." Dean cut into their failed conversation, no reason to make the kid with the pipe any more angry; 'cause pipe versus rock salt probably wasn't in their favor.

"You two can go protect some damsel in distress while I leave." Apparently that wasn't good enough for Sam.

"What are you doing here?" Nico barely spared him a glance, "Why aren't you at home, in school?"

"Isn't it because I'm running away from home?" Nico rolled his eyes, this was not the time for this kid to develop a sense of humor, "If it makes you feel any better I'm just looking for my dog." He shrugged, but with the over sized aviator jacket it looked like a whole upper body movement.

"Looking, for your dog?" Dean wasn't Sam level of connecting dots where dots should be connected, but it also couldn't be a coincidence that this kid was wandering into town looking for a dog the same time they were looking for a hellhound.

"The Hellhound." Sam blurtered out, Nico's eyes widened slightly. Bingo, "You're looking for the hellhound."

"How do you know a Hellhound?" He crouched defensively. Dean and Sam look at each other without responding, "Oh, you don't. Let me get this straight. You two are looking for the hellhound that you don't know anything about. Gods, good luck with that."

Nico turned to leave again and this time they let him get farther since it seemed there was nothing else to add to that conversation. It was true, they had no idea how to track a hellhound, they couldn't see it and could only start tracking it if it decided to target one of them. Which was a bad idea to bait one in since they were vicious and they barely got away from them in the past.

"Dean, he said 'Gods' no one says 'Gods' everyone says God. And he's looking for a Hellhound? Do you think Hades took into a kid's body to look for Cerberus? 'Cause if he did we have bigger problems than the hellhound." Sam looked at Dean eyes full of concern, "If angels are hard on human bodies, how bad do you think a Greek God is?"

"I don't like how this is getting more and more complicated." Dean ran a tired hand over his face as they headed back to the hotel.


	2. Chapter 2

**If I've seen a bit of Sam and Dean I've seen even less of Cas.** ** _Please_** **let me know if it's OOC.**

* * *

And so Sam and Dean's days drastically shifted from one thing to the next. During the day they would be searching for the hellhound and during the nights, when they could barely keep their eyes open, they searched for a way to separate Hades from Nico's body; so far no luck. They did see Nico around and they would have interactions, sorta. It would consist of Nico looking at them septically while they looked at him searching for any sign that Hades was going to toss the body away. Dean still eyed the pipe Nico carried with trpidation; sometimes when he glanced at it it would a gleaming black sword, and Dean believed it was. But then he would doubt that it could be since that is the least effective weapon against monsters and in the blink of an eye it would be a long pipe again.

The deaths had stopped for now, giving Sam and Dean a little lax in their search in order to help Nico. There was not a lot on Greek Gods taking human bodies since they mostly just came as themselves. After a couple days of non stop searching through old books that may or may not have been legally obtained, lots of searching through what Bobby could provide, and once again zero help from Crowley, Sam finally found the answer, at the very least what they hoped was the answer.

"Myth says that the power of the name is the only thing powerful enough to expel a ghost from it's host-"

"Haha, 'ghost from it's host," Sam gave Dean a flat look, "What? It rhymes."

"But that doesn't answer the question as to which name we use. Do we use Hades? Or is it a demon sent by Hades and if so then there is no way for us to know his name." Sam continued ignoring Dean's amusement.

"I say we try what we've got. Corner the kid, expel the god, and hope for the best. It's not like it's going to go that way anyway. Besides how are we going to deal with the expelled god once he's out of the kid?" Sam hadn't thought about that. Crowley probably wouldn't show up even if they were dying, it would most likely take more hunters than either of them knew to take down a god.

"What about Cas?" Sam looked imploringly at Dean, the only person who had ever been able to summon him, "Would Cas be able to take on a god with our help?"

"Are you asking if Cas can kill a god?"

"No, of course not. We would never be able to kill an immortal being; just weaken him enough to send him back to the underworld." Sam said the last bit at a rush, they both knew what they would have to do against a _god_ , but it still felt strange to talk about.

"Alright, we'll have to summon him, get him to do it, and hope we don't die." Sam nodded.

"We'll also have to be able to corner him and hope our vague lead is good enough to get rid of him." Dean didn't respond, "You call Cas, I write the words, yeah?"

"Right, 'cause I forgot that Cas happens to live in my ass. How could I forget." Dean rolled his eyes.

"Why would I live there?" Sam and Dean started, jumping into fight stances, "That sounds unhygienic and, I would say, inhuman but I'm not human, so maybe that's how angels are treated?"

"Cas! God, why do you do that!" Dean lowered the shoe he had picked up while Sam rested his book on the table.

"You need my help, yes?" Neither one of them responded for a few moments.

"Um, yeah Cas, I think we do."

That was how the rest of the evening went. Dean and Sam, mostly Sam, explained what was happening, what their theories were, and what they planned to do about it.

* * *

The found him in another alley talking on a cell phone, at least they thought.

"I'm still looking then I'll be back." Pause, "I don't know honestly, but it knows I'm here so it stopped attacking people. That's the only useful thing I've done." Pause, "Yeah, I know, just don't tell Reyna I said that. Also don't tell Will I had to shadow travel here, no taxi would pick me up." Pause, "Gods, don't mom me. Speaking of which, there are two other guys here looking too." Pause, "How am I suppose to know? Sam and Dean that's all I got." Pause, then Nico snorted, "Nah, maybe somewhere in their line, but not half, though they do have this aura of death that seems to-"

"Oh do we?" Dean couldn't help but interrupting the one sided conversation. Faster than they could see Nico was up from his crouched position, pipe/sword in hand. He had been crouched over spray from a leaking faucet that was barely had a rainbow through it, but there wasn't just a rainbow there was someone's face in the water too. Dean felt his jaw drop in confusion, it looked like a video conference through water. What was this kid?

"Jason, tell your dad thanks for not killing me. I've got to go-there's a third one." And clear as if Jason had been there he responded.

" _Be careful Nico, I knew Percy should have gone too since he takes care of Mrs. O'Leary._ "

"This isn't Mrs. O'Leary, Jason," Nico gritted out, "I'll call you when I've found it."

" _Please take care of yourself._ " Nico rolled his eyes as he waved his hand through the water ending the video. Sam, Dean, and Cas just stared.

"What are you all looking at?" His glare was intense and if the three hadn't been already startled by the water video chat they would have paused at the fierce look of mistrust. Seriously this kid could not be over 15...maybe. Gad he looked terrible, the sooner they got the god out of him the better.

"The water, there was a face in the water." Dean managed out, that was when it all clicked in his head. It wasn't a pipe it was a sword. The sword was inky starless midnight ebony jet onyx obsidian _black_ sword, it drew in the shadow around it; just as the shadows clung to the holder.

"Leave this body, god from Hell," Sam started to speak in Ancient Greek, "Return to your domain under the rocks and dirt. Release this soul from your claws of Death! I name you Hades, God of the Underworld, kidnapper of Persephone!" Cas spread his invisible wings to trap the expected god in the alley way.

It had the expected effect on Nico. His breathing became labored. Instead of the shadows clinging to him, he seemed to be shedding darkness, as if he were sweating shadows. His pale skin got another shade lighter. His eyes rolled back in his head. Nico's muscles went weak causing him to crash to the ground. Smoke seemed to stream out of every opening he had: eyes, mouth, ears, and nose.

Sam took a breath to continue the incantation they had thrown together, but Cas pulled at his arm to get him to stop.

"He isn't a god." Sam's eyes widened.

"What do you mean he isn't a god? Then what's happening?" Sam puts away the paper he had been reading stepping forward to listen to Cas.

"His body is expelling a god, but _he_ isn't a god." Cas stepped forward until he was standing in front of Nico's unconscious, slightly convulsing, body; he then wrapped his wings around the expelling smoke, leaving it only one place to go, back into Nico. Since the incantation was not completed the tar like smoke funneled back into Nico's limp form. Dean noted with some satisfaction that half a shade of color came back to his cheeks.

"How do you know he's not a god stuck in this kid's body?" Dean asked gruffly, he wanted to expel a god not hurt a human...or whatever he was.

"I've taken form so I know what to look for and Nico is does not have it. With him it's as if the god is molded with his DNA," Cas managed the words out hoping they would be sufficient explanation.

"So, what? This god is way past possession and has absorbed him?" Dean was not getting what Cas was laying down. Cas opened his mouth to try to explain it better, but Sam cut off his attempts.

"We can continue this discussion later, right now we need to get this kid some help-"

"Sammy, I don't think there is any doctor that can help him, we-we did _something_." It hurt the most when Dean thought they were doing the right thing only for it to turn out that they really weren't, especially when it ended up hurting someone who didn't deserve it. Now whether Nico deserved it or not was still left open for debate.

"I didn't mean doctor, I just meant getting him back to the hotel. I don't maybe he has something on him that can help." Sam was desperately grasping at straws.

"Of course, let's loot the 15 year old's aviator jacket in hopes that he happens to have something on him that replenishes his godly DNA!" Dean was starting to lose it. What if they had killed him? Technically he hadn't done anything, if they could believe him he was actually the one stopping the hellhound from killing.

"Well, what else are we going to do?" Sam implored, but Dean had no answer for him and remained silent while Cas picked Nico up.

"Hehe, he's light as a feather," No one laughed.

* * *

It took little effort to actually get back to the hotel, the hard part was dealing with all the suspious looks from the towns' people seeing three grown men carrying a small knocked out roughed up teen at about four in the afternoon. Yeah, that for _some_ reason caused some raised eyebrows, for those who could. it was lucky for them that none of the people approached them, because there was no way of explaining themselves out of this one. It was a huge relief when they finally got Nico to their room, after a stern look at Sam, Dean, and Cas by the woman who run the place.

"Alright, never thought I would say this but, let's loot in hopes of helping him." Dean rubbed his hands together carefully pulling off Nico's jacket, what he saw just irked him. This kid, Nico, was way thinner than he thought, but it was a weird combination between skin and bones and muscle and bones. how long was he on the run?

Sam went to reach for the insanely black sword but Cas stopped him.

"This is a Stygian Iron, you have to be careful." Cas pulled it from the hilt very carefully avoiding the blade.

"So, it's a black sword. Cas, I know not to touch sharp objects. I may not be as old as you, but I wasn't born yesterday." Sam let the angel set the sword to the side before reaching a hand in a pocket.

"You don't get it Sam, that sword can absorb souls. I don't know what he is doing with something like that, but it is no accessory." Cas's face became hard and focussed.

"This is the same kid that is _hunting_ a hellhound. I'm going to venture a guess that he knows what the sword is and how to use it." Dean pulled large golden coins out of the left side pocket, he found a wallet loaded with cash in the breast pocket, and a snack bag of what looked like lemon squares. Kid on the run has the time to get home made baked goods? That's strange.

"What is he doing with gold? He must have stolen it." Dean could clearly read the disgust and judgement in Sam's voice.

"No, stop it. He's just like us, Sammy. You don't exactly get paid the big bucks for hunting monsters. He's getting by just like we do."

"It's different, Dean."

"How? Tell me how it's different, Sam!"

"He's a _kid_!" Sam shouted after a moment, "It's different because he's just a kid." Dean was about to respond that they were also kids when they had to deal with more monsters than could fit under a bed, but Cas interrupted them.

"This is an interesting food. It's not normal." Cas held the sealed bag right in front of his eyes, squinting in examination, "This is it. This is what we need to feed him." Sam and Dean put their feud on hold to try and see what Cas saw.

"Cas, it's just some lemon brownie-thing. No way is that what will help him." Sam rolled his eyes to look at Dean who was still looking at the bag in Cas's hands.

"Feed it to him, Cas." Sam was taken aback at the assuredness of his brother's tone and Dean knew it, "Look this _whatever_ is beyond me. Sometimes the kid's sword looks like a pipe, sometimes it looks like a sword. He was Skypeing through _water_ in case you missed that. So I'm thinking that magically healing lemon bars aren't that far of a stretch."

Sam tried to come up with a rebuttal, but nothing was coming to mind. Not one thing, which was a new feeling for Sam. Wisely he kept quiet and nodded for Cas to proceed with the questionable procedure. Cas tip toed over to Nico, who had been deposited on the couch opposite the bed, where they dumped out his jacket. Gingerly Cas opened Nico's mouth with one hand quickly shoving the lemon bar square thing in, then letting his teeth smack shut with a cringe worthy snap. They wait for a moment.

"Well," Sam broke the tense silence, "did it-" Nico gasped and jerked to sit up, only to regret that choice and fell back again, his head making a thud on the arm rest, they all cringed again, "work."

"What in the name of my father happened?" Nico groaned putting a hand to his head. No one said anything as they watched him get reacquainted with the world. He had yet to realize they were there. He turned in their direction, eyes still closed. Dean was glad for that; he would never be one to say he was scared of children, this one was not quite a child and it was harm to his pride to say that Nico scared the living daylights out of him.

When Nico finally opened his eyes he didn't seem surprised to see them. He looked at them all in turn displeasure hot on his face.

"What did you do to me." It might have been a question, but his voice was so flat it was more of a statement with the expectance of someone to fill in the blanks.

"Uh, well, um, we thought you were a god in a kid's body so we tried to exercise you..." Sam stepped up to speak, mostly since it was his idea.

"Why." Dead tone, dead expression while he worked through resurrection soreness.

"Why?" Sam looked to Dean for help.

"Honestly, you look like shit and we know the toll hosting a supernatural being takes on a body and you seem to fit the bill. At first we thought you were just running away from home, but when you referenced 'gods' as a curse word we rethought that. Nobody says 'gods.'" Nico nodded in understanding as Dean spoke, it didn't make him any less angry.

"The hellhound. What about the hellhound?" This was an actual question, they could hear how his voice raised at the end of the sentence, making it a question. Maybe he wouldn't reap their souls with his creepy black sword after all.

"We have yet to find it, we were sorta more focused on you since it hasn't killed anyone in a while." Any hope of making out of this conversation alive disintegrated as Nico looked at them all again. Pure unadulterated resentment crossed with a deep loathing.

"I was the only thing keeping it from killing anyone, but now that you decided to essentially _taze_ me I don't have enough energy to keep it at bay. I'm sure I don't have to tell you what that means." Nico snarled his words through clenched teeth, Dean was surprised they didn't snap from the tension radiating from him.

"It means that we need to find it fast before it can target anyone else."

"Hopefully it'll target one of you," Nico muttered as he tried to stand up, but that wasn't happening and he crumpled right back onto the couch cursing in Greek. Weakly he grabbed another small piece of the lemon bar and shoved it into his mouth, resentfully eating it down.

"Another problem is that even if we do find this thing I'm not strong enough to send it back to where it came from, and I'm under strict orders not to kill it." Nico ground out as he worked through his pain waiting for the relieving effects of the ambrosia.

"Before we even start down that path," Sam cut in, "We need to know some things like who you are, _what_ you are, and who you work for."

Nico didn't even roll his eyes this time, just ignored Sam as he tried to shove his belongings back into the massive jacket. When he was done he walked to the door, Dean was totally expecting him to leave with no explanation, but Nico surprised him.

"My name is Nico di Angelo, I am a demigod, and I guess you could say I sometimes pick up work from my dad. I'm sure at this point you can all figure out who he is. And if anyone dies tonight please know that it's your fault." Then he left. Closing the door softly, but forcefully behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

"Demigod?" Dean asked confused, "Like Hercules? So what are they cousins or something?"

"I mean they could be," Sam was trying to puzzle it out as well, "But he did tell us that his dad is Hades."

"I mean sorta, at this point I want him to _say_ the words. This is a bit cloak and daggers for me. In addition to the soul sucking sword over there." Nico had forgotten to grab it on his way out the night before, but Dean could find it in himself to forgive him since the kid had essentially rose from near death, "Sam, what did you find about di Angelo?"

"Not much to be honest. There was a Mr. di Angelo in the 1920's into the '30's when World War Two broke out. Daughter Maria di Angelo, lived in Italy until the 1930's. Other than that there is nothing with the Di Angelo's at least no di Angelos that _look_ like Nico." Sam set the paper work in front of Dean and Cas, "Maria di Angelo had two children and was noted to be having a husband, but the husband was never named or ever pictured, or anything."

"What are the two kids' names?" Dean had a feeling he already knew one.

"Bianca and Nico di Angelo. Their father was never listed because he is Hades, Greek god of Death."

"Dude, you need to do more research. Thanatos is the God of Death, Hades just rules the underworld." Sam and Dean flinched in surprise of Nico appearing out of no where onto the couch he had been knocked out on the night before. Cas might have flinched with them had he been human, but his eyes were fixed pointedly on Nico.

"Where's Bianca?" Nico shakily stood to grab his sword, but Dean blocked him, "Nico, where is your sister?"

In hindsight Dean should not have asked for personal information. Not from this little bundle of terror. Who only got scarier when annoyed, like poking a bear with a stick of dynamite. While wearing a suit of honey. The look Nico gave Dean was indescribable, that kid might have been worn out from the taze, but now he was-he was completely terrifying and this was coming from Dean who had stared down vampires, werewolves, demons, angels, and everything imaginable. All of it. Every last glare he had ever been given paled bleached bloodless snowy waxen ashen ghastly in comparison to this. This child was something else. Even Dean and Sam with all their shitty life experience could never muster up a look of that scalding apathy.

"Don't talk to me about my sister. Ever again." Nico stalked closer to Dean shadows reaching out, "Am I clear?"

Even if Dean had been able to speak he would have been smart enough to keep it to himself, but Nico scared him so all he could manage was nodding.

"So, this hellhound, the one you were controlling-sorta, but is now free to move about the town. What are we planning to do about that?" Sam tried to divert the situation from life threatening to, oddly enough, less life threatening. Nico took it easily, striding over to where Sam sat on the bed.

"How good are you at fetch?" Nico smirked over to Dean, "Or you."

* * *

"How is it that I got caught into doing this?" Dean grumbled into his phone as he walked down the semi deserted streets. It was late afternoon so a lot of people were home or heading there at that moment; plus everyone Dean passed avoided him. News of him carrying Nico knocked out must have spread the way people eyed him with reservations.

"Maybe you shouldn't have ticked him off." Sam's voice crackled in response.

"Oh, Sammy, I went way beyond that. Did you see his demon eyes?" He looked down yet another side street, "But what I don't get is that I can't see it, so what am I suppose to do?"

"Dean," Sam sighed, "We went over this a million times."

"Don't exaggerate, it was like three." He could _hear_ Sam rolling his eyes.

"You have the Honey Cake, tease him with the Honey Cake, then distract him from you by tossing the red ball to Nico. By that time hopefully Nico will be strong enough to send him back to the Underworld." Dean tried to ignore how loose the plan was, how many ifs and maybes were strung together to form this plan to make sure no one died. It was not a comfort. Especially not when Cas had been called away on business. No angel protection, just a di Angelo.

"Sam, I'm not liking this." Something changed in the air around him, as cliché as it sounded. For whatever reason his nerves were set on fire, muscles tensed in expectance of _something._ Something that made itself heard in the next moment, a growling sounded just over Dean's shoulder.

"What's the matter Dean? I thought you liked cake." This was no time for teasing, what was Sam thinking?

"Sam. Be serious, I'm being followed by a hellhound I can't see." Dean hissed, "And besides I like pie."

The growling got a little louder; Dean's mouth went dry. Picking up the pace he made his way to where Nico was waiting.

Nico wasn't there. The little shit.

Dean slowed his pace, feeling the hellhounds breath sticking to the back of his neck, dripping down his back...maybe that was actually just spit. It was moments like this that Dean really hated the fact that dogs had such great senses, muscles tense and fear perfuming the air. Dean was totally going to be eaten. Moving further into the alley Dean prayed to Cas that he would live, he didn't want to die, he had so much to live for...sorta, he had Sammy, Cas, Bobby,...himself, that's always a good reason to live. All the liquor he hadn't drunk yet, all the girls he had yet to sleep with. Most importantly all the demons and monsters he had yet to kill. People to protect-

"Gods, you smell like fear if I ever smelt it." Nico leaned leisurely against the wall at the end of the alley, Dean was going to kill him, "Drop the cake and walk towards me." Nico looked worn out, like he had just finished a marathon followed by getting hit by a truck. Too scared to speak Dean dropped the cake going to stand behind Nico as the kid stepped forward. He felt ridiculous being protected by a 15 year old, but if Nico could do this Dean wasn't going to let it hurt his pride.

Dean watched raptly at the disappearing pile of cake. No mouth, just cake up and vanishing. Nico looked calm, either calm or tired, it was hard to tell. He stood there waiting for the cake to be finished, smiling softly at the air when the treat was gone. He lifted up the red rubber ball he had gotten from the pet store, Dean couldn't even guess what was happening. Nico moved the ball from one side of his body to the other then back again, taunting the dog? Eventually Nico threw the ball down the alley, where it vanished through a portal? Dean could feel a wosh-ing from the hellhound turning around.

They stood there for a few moments. Nico looking down the alley way that was always empty to Dean and Dean waiting for Nico to _move_ to let him know that it was safe to breathe again.

"You can move now," Nico said without turning around. Dean let out a small sigh of relief. Mission accomplished: hellhound gone. He moved forward to clap Nico on the back for a job well done, but his hand went part way through his shoulder; both of them flinched away.

"What the hell? What's wrong with you?" Dean's eyes were wide with shock and concern, Nico brushed it off and made to leave. He ended up collapsing instead. At a loss of what to do Dean called Sam to help him take the kid back to the Hotel. Again. After this got around is was unlikely anyone in town would ever serve them again.

* * *

"What I'm saying is that one minute he's fine standing there almost _playing_ with the hellhound, but once it's gone he fell over." Dean sat at the table by the window of their room eating a piece of pie. Sam stood next to the bed Nico had been placed on, his jacket had been taken off again and it eerily reminded him of when _they_ had been the ones to knock him out, "I went to pat him on the shoulder, Sam, _my hand went into it_." Dean shuddered.

"Well, maybe he has more of those lemon bar things. That helped him the first time, right?" Sam started digging through Nico's jacket, after a few minutes all he had found was the empty bag it was meant to be in, "That can't be healthy."

By chance one of Nico's gold coins fell out of the pocket.

"Wait, Dean, what about this?" Sam lifted up the coin for Dean to see.

"Think we can sell it?" Selling it would mean that they could buy supplies for themselves, for Nico, they could rebuild the little town at least three times over. It was a gold coin after all. Sam didn't seem convinced.

"It doesn't make sense to me. Why would he bring a useless piece of gold?"

"Maybe because it's _gold_." Dean snorted, Sam wasn't finished.

"No, I mean. He would have to sell it, unless it had a different purpose. Like talking through the water!" Sam's face brightened with partial understanding, "This is like a toll for using the water skype." It seemed a bit ridiculous that gold was the price for a phone call. Must be a very nice conversation.

"Okay smarty pants, how does it work?" Sam hesitated. They had barely seen it done once, how was he suppose to figure it out from that? Nico had been hunched over a water spout. Sam had seen the face, but what else was there? The rainbow, they had seen a rainbow across the person's face.

"I don't know, but I have a feeling it has to do with water and rainbows." Dean did not look amused.

* * *

It was becoming an unfair game. Sam would toss the coin into the rainbow spray of water they managed to make in their shower with a flash light and some duct tape, it would hit the floor with a slpashing clink, then Dean would try to make it work and it would still splash to the floor with a clinking noise. It was finally about an hour later and about as many different ways to toss a coin into water Dean had had enough.

"Sam, this isn't _doing_ anything! Stop it!" Dean snatched the coin off the shower floor pocketing it, "What do we actually know about this coin? About him? Who are we even trying to contact?" They had not thought this through far enough, or at all.

"Well, it's a drachma. Ancient Greek currency. Nico is an Italian from the 1930's, whose father happens to be the god of the underworld. Coins tossed into a water source was founded around the ancient Greek era as an offering to the gods to keep the water clean. We tried to offer it to Hermes since his known to be the messenger of the gods, but that didn't work." Sam ran a wet hand through his hair in frustration, only to get more frustrated at how hard that was to do.

"Okay, good to know, what if there is another messenger god?" Dean asked casually. Makes sense, if one doesn't work must be another.

"Um, I mean sure," He began looking through the Greek pantheon on google, "Why wouldn't it just be Hermes?" Like Dean had any idea, "Looks like there is a goddess Iris, she is the embodiment of rainbows and messenger of the gods. This could work."

Just like they had for the past hour Sam and Dean stood in front of the spray of shower water with the flash light strategically aimed so it caused a rainbow.

"Iris, messenger of the gods, please accept our offering," Dean spoke tentatively as he for the hundredth time tossed the coin into the water. This time is rippled away before it hit the ground, "Please connect us to anyone who can help Nico di Angelo."

The water rippled to show a grassy hill, a big baby blue farm house, and strawberry plants? Dean kept quiet waiting for the water to show him an actual person that he could talk to. After another moment a blond boy appeared, he seemed to be busy, but saw them out of the corner of his eye, Dean had no idea what this looked like from his end.

"Nico?" He looked hopeful, but then realized they weren't who he thought, "Oh, sorry. Um, who are you two?"

"Well, I'm Dean this is my brother Sam, we're here with Nico, but you see he is passed out and we are concerned about him. So we wanted to know if there is anything we could do. To help him, that is." The boy's eyes got huge as he processed what was said.

"Ambrosia, stat!" This kid looked slightly older than Nico, but had the authority of an adult.

"I-I don't know what that is." Dean managed out, what was up with all these kids acting older than they were? What ever happened to kids being kids?

"How do you not know-Godly food, guys. Looks like lemon bars. He needs them. I'm surprised you didn't think of that." The boy looked confused and worried, which was a complete 180 from the happy focus before.

"Oh, that! Yeah, he's out of that. Sorry, is there anything else?" the boy blanched and went off into a rant in what Dean could only assume was Greek, "Woah, kid slow down. Is he dying or something?" He froze.

"Is he disappearing? Nico, is he starting to disappear?" Dean looked at him like he was nuts, "Can you put a hand through him at all!?"

"Yeah, today when he banished the hellhound-my hand went through his shoulder a bit. What does that mean?" Dean was close to yelling, "Kid, tell me."

"My name is Will. Will Solace, son of Apollo. I need to get Nico here ASAP. What happened!? he had been recovering just fine!" Will cursed in Greek trying to consider his options, "Thalia! Keep him in sunlight, direct sunlight, okay? I have to go." And just like that will was gone.

"What did I tell you, Sammy, baby sitting duty."

"Dean, the sun is starting to set." Dean glanced out the window noting his brother was right, "What are we going to do? He needs sunlight, right?"

"He's not a plant. The lights in here should work just fine. Flip them on and we'll wait for what's his name to get back to us." Dean may have looked calm on the outside he was actually freaking out over Nico. It was their fault that he had lost godly energy, or what not. It didn't help his guilt that Nico was apparently trying to recoup from another attack. But there was nothing to be done. So now they waited.

* * *

Turns out light bulbs don't work the same way that sun light works. As soon as the sun started to vanish behind the horizon Nico began to vanish as well, even with every lighting the entire room being on. It was like watching a scared octopus ink on everything, black mist floated away from Nico's limp form and there was no Cas to trap it back in. Dean had prayed to Cas, but no matter how many times he said the word "ass" the angel did not appear. It was barely ten o'clock and Sam and Dean had run through every idea they had to trap the black mist.

Salt: he isn't a ghost so that doesn't particularly work.

Holy Oil: That is a Christian thing and the kid is Greek.

Wrapping him in blankets: It's like they weren't even there. Plus the chance of smothering him. The last thing they needed was to give a teenager SIDS.

The blond kid, Will, hadn't called them back yet, or maybe he had and they just didn't know it. How do you tell someone is trying to contact you through water? Do you have to sit by the sink or does it magically appear?

It was pushing eleven o'clock when Sam and Dean had given up trying to do anything about the godly ectoplasm. It was about the time that salt probably would have worked on Nico that there was a pounding at the door. Pounding is using the word loosely, the door about came off it's hinges. Dean simultaneously didn't want to deal with the guy on the other side, but also wanted nothing more than to through open the door and have him save Nico. Reigning in his trepidation Dean opened the door. To a sixteen year old girl. What the hell are these kids eating?

She looked sixteen in body, but her eyes made her look much much much older. She had seen somethings, apparently she and Nico. What the fuck have these kids been through? Dean almost felt the need to call child services. But it was more than just her eyes, her entire body seemed to glow. She wore a silver head band thing and silver jacket and black pants that rivaled her choppy black hair.

"Where is he?" Her voice was commanding, way more so than Will's, "Where's Nico?" without a word Dean let her into the room pointing to the bed. Eyes wide she ran to him barely keeping her hands off his face. Maybe they were dating? She pulled a lemon bar looking thing, Ambrosia, out of her pocket and shoved it into Nico's mouth. The black mist dissipated slightly, but Nico's cheeks flushed bright red.

"That's all I can give him now. I need to go." She moved to lift Nico off the bed, but Sam stopped her with a hand to her wrist.

"He is in no state to travel. Let him rest a little longer." Her electric blue eyes flashed murderous. Seriously how do these kids do that!

"Do not touch me. And Nico is my cousin, I think I know what's best for him." She ripped her wrist out of Sam grasp and determinedly tried to pick Nico up; but her hands went part of the way through his back and legs. She cursed in Greek then she prayed, "Artemis, please shine your light on Nico."

Had she not said that the Winchesters would have thought that the room getting brighter due to random increase of moon light was just their imagination, but no that actually happened. The Ambrosia mixed with the increase of moonlight seemed to chase Nico's body back into himself. Black mist gone Nico's body back. This time when the girl picked Nico up, she actually could.

"Can we at least give you a ride to where ever you're going?" Sam rushed out, "It is our fault that he is like this." She froze and turned slowly.

"What do you mean it's you fault he's like this?" Sam no longer wanted to answer that question. Dean carefully answered for him.

"We had a misunderstanding, we, um, tried to exercise a god out of him, but understandable that didn't work, so we paired up and he banished the hellhound back to Hell." Dean looked to Sam to make sure he got everything, Sam wasn't looking at him. Nope, Sam was looking at the fifteen year old girl get more upset than Dean had seen anyone get.

"Are. You. Kidding me?" Her face went almost as red as Nico's, but with anger not with fever, "He's _half god_! What in Artemis's name were you thinking?!"

She continue to mutter something about boys being stupid and not seeing this level of incompetence since someone named Percy. It was part way through this rant that Nico stirred a bit in her arms, she set him down gently in a chair but he could barely hold himself up.

"Thalia?" Nico was hard to hear, but the room got very quiet, "Thalia, what are you doing here?" Thalia completely changed. Her anger melted into concern faster than Crowley could change his mind.

"Easy there, di Angelo, you over exerted yourself. What is Solace going to say?" Nico let his head fall back in dismay.

"How about I travel with you and the huntresses and Will never finds out this happened. I like that idea." Nico seemed to be falling asleep already.

"Nice try, Will already knows." Nico's flush paled. Was Nico di Angelo, the most terrifying child Dean had ever seen, afraid of Will, the blond from the blue house? It seemed so.

"He's never going to let me leave camp again." Thalia shrugged like that wasn't a terrible idea, but who kept kids hostage at a camp? Dean wished luck to whoever the counselor is, but who ever worked at a camp for demigods knew they had trouble coming.

"I don't think Chiron is going to argue with him and as soon as Reyna hears about this you'll never leave the infirmary, but I will tell them this time wasn't your fault." Nico half smiled at his cousin, but he was fading fast. Not death fading, but sleep fading. Thalia nodded letting him know he should rest. He didn't need any encouragement. Unfortunately this left Dean and Sam as the spotlight for her focus.

"Who are your parents?"

"John and Mary Winchester." Dean didn't see why it mattered, but didn't want to argue with her. It looked like there was a knife at her hip. Sam was a little distracted by the fact that she said that Chiron ran their camp. He was trying to determine if she meant _the_ Chiron or someone who took the name.

"No, your godly parent." She rolled her eyes like it was the most obvious question. That brought Sam back to attention.

"We don't have one?" It was a question, Sam didn't want to contradict her, but as far as they knew their parents were human. Human, but not normal.

"You couldn't have called Will through Iris if you weren't a halfblood." Thalia snorted.

"Well, Sam has some demon blood. Does that count?" Sam hit Dean and Thalia rolled her eyes so hard that also felt like a slap.

"Please ignore my brother, he's an idiot." Thalia just raised an eyebrow, "That's all I got."

"That's nice, but I need to get Nico home." She turned to leave, but the brothers couldn't let it go.

"How are you getting there? No offense but you don't really look like you drive." Dean was trying to watch what he said, but also help fix what he had done.

"Artemis is sending her moon chariot to pick us up. Then we are headed back to camp. It's the fastest way." She sounded so official, she was probably in charge where ever she was from.

"I understand those words separately, but you lost me at moon chariot." The moonlight outside seemed to glow brighter for a second before once again dimming. Glancing out the window Dean and Sam could see a polished silver chariot waiting in front of the hotel, "Oh, moon chariot."

By the time Dean looked back over his shoulder Thalia was gone with Nico. Once again transfixed by the events outside the Winchesters saw her climb into the chariot with Nico curled up at her feet.

In another flash of blinding silver light the chariot was gone. Taking Nico di Angelo and Thalia with it.

"Sam, I think we should do a little more research on Greek gods." Without looking Sam nodded. Knowing that kids like Nico exist was a game changer. Also that Thalia had said they shouldn't have been able to send to Iris message without being demigods. She had to have been mistaken, they were human. 100%


End file.
